Ingrid Pitt is the unequivocal Queen of Horror. In a time when few if any women gained the genre notoriety that Christopher Lee, Peter Cushing, or Vincent Price enjoyed, Ingrid Pitt attained cult status with her roles in Hammer and Amicus horror films and that cult status continues to grow to this day.
It is no startling revelation to regular readers that I am enamored of the classic films in all genres and that I have a particular fondness for classic horror. I feel especially drawn to the work of Ingrid Pitt because we share a special bond: we have the same birthday!
Ingrid Pitt was born Ingoushka Petrov in Poland to a German father and Jewish mother on November 21st, 1937. Her early life was every bit as tumultous as that of the scream queens she has portrayed in film. Pitt entered the world on a train in Poland as her parents were attempting to flee the growing Nazi threat in Berlin. Her early years were spent with her parents as they stayed with various family members. Ingrid’s father was a top designer of lighter-than-air aircraft and the Nazi’s eventually caught up with him. Ingrid Pitt and her mother began three years of internment being placed in the Stutthof Concentration Camp. The camp was eventually liquidated and Ingrid and her mother fled to the woods and lived with partisans. This was not to be Pitt’s last experience with dictatorial government.
She was living in Berlin when the wall was erected and her outspoken criticism of the East Berlin government brought her to the attention of the Volkspolizei. In true dramatic fashion while fleeing from them she dove into the River Spree and was rescued by “a handsome U.S. Lieutenant”. She eventually married him and came to America. After her marriage ended she traveled to Spain and was “discovered” while watching a bullfight. She did numerous Spanish films and then traveled to Hollywood. After small roles in films including Doctor Zhivago and The Omegans she got her break out role in the Clint Eastwood, Richard Burton film Where Eagles Dare.
Where Eagles Dare is a WWII film about espionage and killing Nazi’s that has gained cult status of its own over the years. After spending time in a concentration camp as a child, killing Nazi’s in a film must have been oddly cathartic for Pitt.
(Pitt in Where Eagles Dare)
Pitt’s exotic looks and eastern European accent brought her to the attention of Hammer Films executives and they cast her in the role of Mircalla in Vampire Lovers, the film loosely based on J. Sheridan le Fanu’s classic short story Carmilla.
Vampire Lovers also starred Peter Cushing and it established Ingrid Pitt as a bona fide horror queen. Hammer films was going through a period in which they were introducing more flesh and blood into the horror genre so there is a bit of inexplicable (silly) nudity in the film. While somewhat convoluted at times the film maintains a nice creepy atmosphere throughout. Both Pitt and Cushing are fantastic and the film was a box office success but it pales in comparison to what it could have been had they followed the story more faithfully.
Ingrid Pitt’s next vampiric role was in the episode “The Cloak” in Amicus Productions film The House That Dripped Blood.
The House That Dripped Blood is an excellent horror anthology with an ensemble cast that features both Christopher Lee and Peter Cushing as well as other quality actors and actresses. This film also enjoyed box office success and it is much deserved as it is a great anthology film, I highly recommend it.
Pitt continued in the vampire vein with a return to Hammer Films to star in Countess Dracula. Ingrid Pitt played the titular role in this film loosely based on the legendary exploits of 16th century Transylvanian Countess Elizabeth Bathory. It was thought that she killed upwards of 600 young women and bathed in their blood, believing that this was they key to eternal youth and beauty. This is another very good classic horror film made all the more eerie because of its inspiration in true events.
These three movies as well as a role in the lesser know but equally good film The Wicker Man firmly established Ingrid Pitt as the undisputed Queen of Horror. During the 60’s and 70’s both Hammer Films and Amicus Productions created many lasting classic works of horror starring a multitude of memorable, beautiful actresses but none has made as lasting an impression and garnered such a strong following as Ingrid Pitt. In addition to her classic beauty the quality of her performances caused her to rise above the rest to the role of Queen.
In addition to her film work Ingrid Pitt is an accomplished author of novels and her more well known Bedside Companion series: The Ingrid Pitt Bedside Companion for Vampire Lovers and The Ingrid Pitt Bedside Companion for Ghosthunters. She is also a regular columnist for Shivers Magazine and maintains contact with the public through her website (I have been a proud member of the Ingrid Pitt fan club…geek!) and by touring the convention circuit.
In 1999 Ingrid Pitt’s autobiography Life’s A Scream was released and it is a wonderful book chronicling her harrowing childhood and eventual emergence to scream queen cult status.
It is a fitting time of year to celebrate this wonderful horror film siren and I will no doubt be wishing her a ‘Happy Birthday’ come November 21st!
I made the mistake of reading that link on Elizabeth Bathory. I am feeling sick now. It was so horrible but I kept reading. I knew nothing about the whole Transylvania story. That was enough horror for me. We can skip Halloween now!
Sorry Jules, that sounds exactly like something Mary would do as well…you want to look away but you just can’t. Interestingly enough one of her descendents (a man, can’t remember his name) recently returned to the village where she committed her crimes and sat with the townspeople, themselves descendents of some of the victims, and made peace with them. I caught the end of it on the History channel or somewhere recently.
In reality she most likely only (only, geez!!!) killed around 100. She chronicled 610 in her diaries and 50 bodies were found buried on her premises when she was caught. Don’t know if that article said it or not but one other article mentioned that she is a descendent of the actual Vlad Dracula. Both of these two real people’s lives are part of what Stoker mined to write Dracula.
oh, so that’s who the girl is at the top of your blog!
It is indeed! I intended on posting on her sometime this month and figured now was as good a time as any. I was originally intending to wait until the 21st of November, on our birthday, but I am saving up embarrasing stories about myself for then and since her notoriety is primarily due to horror films it seemed more appropriate for an Oct. post.
Oooh, embarrassing stories, I can hardly wait!
Why are you sorry, you didn’t make me read it!!!
I’m still trying not to think about it!!!
Just don’t have bad dreams…think about pink fuzzy bunnies…
It never hurts to have a little history lesson, even it the history is a bit on the disturbing side!
Wow, she’s very pretty when she’s not all fangy! Sounds like she’s had an interesting life. Good to put a name to the face in your blog header pic – which, btw, looks great with the Corpse Bride photo, too. Love it. š
Thanks Mary, yes she was very pretty indeed. She’s actually still an attractive woman considering her age. Yes indeed, her life wasn’t a dull one. I did see in a recent interview that she mentioned that she was having regrets about putting the concentration camp stuff in her autobiography because she feels like that is so far in the past as to be almost another lifetime ago. I assume people often want her to talk of it now which makes it uncomfortable and fuels her regrets. I just think its interesting to see someone who came out of that and went on with her life.
I’m embarrassed but I never heard of her.
Mrs M, there is surely nothing to be embarrassed about…her cult status is very based on films that occupy a very small niche in the horror genre, its not like she’s Nicole Kidman or someone! š I do believe she lives in London, however so I’m surprised you haven’t run into her…small town that it is and all!
ingrid pitt was a great actor,writter i wish i had known her!!!!!!!!!!!!